Preparing for Ramadan

Ramadan is the month of forgiveness, mercy, and new beginnings for all Muslims for what it holds of passionate spiritual meaning.

Ramadan Meaning & Significance

Muslims worldwide prepare themselves to welcome their holy month of the year, the month of Ramadan.

“O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you1—so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺.” Al-Baqarah – Verse 183.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar. it lasts for 29 or 30 days. Fasting Ramadan is one of the five Pillars of Islam; it is an obligatory worship for all Muslims who are physically able to fast this month from dawn to sunset.

Through Ramadan, Muslims focus on gaining the mercy and forgiveness of Allah SWT. They focus on doing all acts of worship at the best level they can to please Allah the Greatest; 

• Fasting and Generosity.
• Recitation and studying the Quran.
• Doing good deeds to one another.
• Devoting all acts of worship to Allah Almighty.
• Sacrificing their needs and desires for the sake of Allah the Most Merciful. 

The Prophet ﷺ said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me, and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.” – Bukhari.

Prepare for Ramadan Spiritually

Ramadan is a sacred journey for Muslims, a spiritual growth where they go through a spiritual transition within 30 days. There is no rest through these days because every minute counts through this month. 

Allah SWT has divided the holy month of Ramadan into three phases called “The Ashra of Ramadan” three tens! Every ten days of these thirty days have a grace of its own.

• The first stage (ten days) reflects the Mercy of Allah (Rehmah).
• The second stage reflects the Forgiveness of Allah (Maghfirah).
• The third stage reflects the Safety from the Hellfire (Nijat). 

And our beloved Prophet taught us how important each part is for us Muslims when He ﷺ said: “It is the month, whose beginning is mercy, its middle is forgiveness, and its end, emancipation from the fire of Hell.”

Quran Recitation with Tajweed

Qur’an has more depth and knowledge than anyone can ever imagine! The more we read its Holy Verses, the more we learn about this life and the hereafter. Therefore, reciting the Holy Qur’an with tajweed will get you closer to Allah Almighty as it helps you to understand your responsibilities.

Moreover, Qur’an recitation with tajweed might sound a bit hard to do or master; however, it grants enormous rewards from Allah the Most Merciful.

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Indeed the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly and precisely, will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.

As for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” – Muslim.

Giving Zakat and Sadaqah 

Who is it that will lend to Allah a good loan which Allah will multiply ˹many times over˺ for them, and they will have an honourable reward? – Al-Hadid – Verse 11.

Islam came to teach us good manners, encouraging unity and solidarity in Islamic society. Our beloved Prophet encouraged us to stand for one another and help each other. In Islam, we are all sisters and brothers in this one community, and the best of us, in the eyes of Allah Almighty, is the one who does the best for his sisters and brothers in Islam. 

The Messenger ﷺ said, “Allah is in aid of His servant as long as His aide is in the assistance of others.” – Muslim. 

Giving Zakat and Sadaqah brings Muslims together in brotherhood and unity, as it purifies the Muslim’s soul and wealth and shows the other misfortunate Muslims the compassion and mercy of their brothers who give them their rights (the poor Muslims) from their money (the wealthy Muslims). It also protects Muslims from any calamity they might come across. 

The Prophet ﷺ also said: “Give charity without delay, for it stands in the way of calamity.” – Al-Tirmidhi.

Donate your Zakat and Sadaqah to Needy People

Donating your Zakat money or Sadaqah is an act that Allah Almighty loves, and by doing so, you seek Allah’s forgiveness, pleasure, and His mercy Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. By donating to those less fortunate and most vulnerable among Muslims, you show your true devotion to Allah Almighty.

The Messenger ﷺ said, “Allah is in aid of His servant as long as His aide is in the assistance of others.” – Muslim. 

Today, thousands of Muslims worldwide need donations to have a decent shelter to live in, food on their tables, clothes to wear, medical services, and emergency aid to survive.

Your donations can help! Contact local charities or organizations like SEMA organization, which has detailed programs to help those in need, and see the best way to give your donations. 

Repentance

Allah the Most Merciful has graced us with millions and millions of Blessings, and one of the most beautiful Blessings is Repentance!

We all make mistakes, but Almighty gave us an open door for repentance. Therefore, we can always repent and clear our errors. 

The Prophet ﷺ said: “All the children of Adam constantly err, but the best of those who constantly err are those who constantly repent.” – Tirmidhi.

Increasing Worship

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” – Surah Ali – ‘Imran Verse 31. 

We can increase our worship by learning more about our beloved Prophet ﷺ and try to follow him by emulating his actions as much as we can. 

Make Fasting Easier During Ramadan

Adapting to fasting is not something we can do overnight; we need to make actual preparations to make the transition much easier. Here are some quick tips.

Do Not Snack

In Ramadan, there will be only two meals daily, Suhoor and Iftar. Therefore, you need to stop having snacks between your meals.

Start by cutting out your snacks and keep your three-meal schedule; then, it will be easier for you to let go of one meal in Ramadan.

Reduce Coffee Intake

Ramadan has its hardships upon Muslims, no doubt, but it is much harder for coffee lovers. Let us give you a tip; just before Ramadan, switch to decaf, let your body take it in, and get used to it slowly.

Then, your body will cope with the decaffeinated coffee, making it easier to cut it out altogether during Ramadan. 

Wean off Smoking

Smoking is an addiction, and cutting it out suddenly, will definitely provoke some major withdrawal symptoms such like

1. Difficulty concentrating during fasting hours.
2. Irritability and anger.
3. Restlessness and impatience.

Therefore, to avoid these severe symptoms during Ramadan, try to reduce smoking to the best of your abilities, so you can go through it in the best ways you can. Also, it is an excellent opportunity to quit this bad habit once and for all. 

Eat Suhoor

Eating Suhoor is Sunnah and has many rewards as well; it grants you Blessings and empowers your body to handle fasting better and in a much healthier manner.

Furthermore, you will be awake at one of the best times of dawn, a time when you can ask Allah anything and be sure that He Almighty has heard your prayers and will surely grant you what you’ve prayed for.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Our Lord who is Blessed and Exalted descends every night to the lowest heaven when the last one-third of the night remains and says: “Who supplicated Me so that I may answer him? Who asks of Me so that I may give to him? Who asks My forgiveness so that I may forgive him?” – Sahih Al-Albani.

Goals for Ramadan

The ultimate goal for Ramadan is obtaining the Mercy and Forgiveness of Allah SWT.

Our goal is to clean all mistakes we’ve made throughout the past year and ask Allah Almighty to grace us with his pleasure and Jannah, protect us from His anger, and save us from Hellfire.

Donate now to help refugees fast during Ramadan

At SEMA humanitarian, non-profit organization, we ensure that all Syrian refugees and those internally displaced receive the medical care and relief they deserve. 

Because many of the refugee communities fall short of the basic medical care infrastructure, staff, and equipment, we make sure those refugees have access to the medical relief they need. 

Certainly, many of those refugees will be in need of healthcare services during the holy month of Ramadan. 

Donate now to help us in our mission and assist those in need, especially during this month of blessings!